Ocean Winds (OW), the international offshore wind energy company created by EDP Renewables and ENGIE, has started electricity production at its 30 MW Éoliennes Flottantes du Golfe du Lion (EFGL) floating offshore wind farm.
With first power now delivered to the French grid, the project is already supplying renewable energy to homes and businesses in the South of France.
Developed in partnership with Banque des Territoires, EFGL is marking a major step for floating wind. With its three 10 MW turbines installed on floating foundations, this pilot wind farm located 16 km off the coast demonstrates the viability of floating offshore wind development and construction in the Mediterranean deeper waters and specific environment.
The EFGL wind farm is expected to generate around 110 000 MWh/y of clean energy, enough to power approximately 50 000 inhabitants for 20 years. Craig Windram, CEO at Ocean Winds, stated: “EFGL’s first power reflects OW’s 15-year leadership in floating offshore wind and confirms our excellence in delivering and operating all offshore wind technologies across the world. From floating solutions in challenging deep-water conditions to fixed-bottom projects like Yeu-Noirmoutier reaching full power this same week, we are proving that our industrial expertise and execution capabilities translate into reliable delivery. This milestone reinforces our track record of turning ambition into operational assets, even in the most demanding contexts, and positions us strongly to scale offshore wind globally.”
EFGL is a pilot project that paves the way for larger developments, including the Eoliennes Flottantes d’Occitanie (EFLO), a 250 MW floating offshore wind project awarded to OW and Banque des Territoires in late 2024.
In addition, EFGL is also the world’s first nature-inclusive floating wind farm, with artificial marine habitats (Biohut®) designed by local SME company, Ecocean, installed at sea to enhance biodiversity. This innovation, combined with advanced engineering and regional co-operation, sets a new standard for responsible offshore wind development worldwide.
